It sounds like your Pod is somehow identifying your songs as audiobooks and applying the speed settings to them. Maybe.

I didn't know that Bob Mould was touring!

His new album came out Tue. and based on the interview and live performance I mentioned here the other day, I'm excited for the album and tour. I've seen him four times (both solo and with Sugar) and he's always good - I didn't see any of the electronica stuff he's been doing the last couple years though.

There's a recent interview with him over at Popmatters.

Now playing: Bobby Bare, Jr. From the End of Your Leash.

I just downloaded this the other day because I am a huge fan of his other album ( Young Criminal Starvation League). This one might be better or at least just as good. He's a darn fine lyricist. "Visit Me in Music City" is about growing up in Nashville where "the cops carry capos in case you want to change your key". "Borrow Your Girl" is about borrowing a friend's motorcycle. Generally, very good.

I had a nice chat with my friend Drew last night, who, though he doesn't know it, is one of my musical gurus. A lot of the bands I love he he introduced me to. So he was mentioning all these new bands he's listening to, and today I can't remember any of them!

I’ve been listening to one of my alltime favorite albums (Big Pig's "Bonk") in the car lately, and mourning that they never released another album before they apparently broke up. For some reason, I was driven to google them today, and found out that they did put out a second album, but it was never imported to the States. Next month, when I finally have some extra change, I'm going to order it through Ozmusic, who has a copy of the out-of-print "You Lucky People" available for $26 (US)--$18 less than Amazon.uk.

It's the little things that make me happy!

Ya know that payola scandal that Spitzer just settled with Sony? Here's a link to the memos used as evidence in the case. Amazing stuff: [link]

Findings and terms of the settlement are here: [link]

Bob Mould interview/performance today on Soundcheck. Plus, a guy who wrote a book about Pet Sounds. Should be archived by 4 or 5 if you can't catch it live. WNYC is podcasting shows now, too, although I think they're only doing certain segments, not whole shows.

Werner Herzog is talking about his new documentary, Grizzly Man, on Fresh Air. Which isn't about music, but it's the one that Richard Thompson scored.

Corwood, here's an article on Gravity's Rainbow. Haven't read it yet so I can't vouch for it, but I figure you're willing to take the chance.

And an actual music-related item: Ron Rosenbaum on the link between Emmylou Harris, heartbreak songs, and black holes in B-flat.

Excellent, Joe! Thanks! I read a reference to Bookforum's article on Pynchon on Maud Newton's website (I think, but also I seem to think that it was in the context of discussing James Wood's criticism, so... I don't know).

Get a chance to listen to "Waltzing with the Dogs" yet, Corwood? I know you're busy, but I can't imagine you not digging it. Corwood Jr.'s (sorry, don't remember his board pseud) first words could be "Stop dropping acid!" Okay, probably not, but I bet you go around singing it after you hear it.

Heh. In keeping with today's Natter:

As most Pynchonians know, Corlies Smith—universally called Cork—was Pynchon's editor from the very start of the author's career. A tall, handsome, casually aristocratic publisher of the old school (tweed jackets, unfiltered Pall Malls), he was idolized by the younger set at Viking for his staggering achievements, his impeccable literary taste, and his dry and sometimes startlingly profane wit ("It does, however, have the best horse-fucking scene I've ever read," he deadpanned memorably about a novel at one sales conference).